Solidified liquid fuel and process of making the same



Patented Aug. 5, 31924.

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* acac a HERBERT KRANICH, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 S. STERNAU& COM- PANY, INQ, 0F BROOKLYN, .NEW YORK, A. CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SOLIDIFIED LIQUID FUEL AND PROCESS THE 1\To Drawing. Application filedJune 7,

To all whom may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT KRANIGH, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and Stateof New York, have invented a certain new and useful Solidified LiquidFuel and Process of Making the Same,of which the following is aspecification. I

The invention relates to. a solid fuel composed mainly of alcohol, andmore particularly to such a product as may be made in the container inwhich it is vended and burned. The fuel may also be made. in

bulk and formed to any desired configuration orshape, cubical forexample, and

will retain its shape without being confined in a container of thatshape.

, The objects of the invention are the production of a solid'fuel whichwill be economical of manufacture; which will be infusible and retainits solid form until consumed; which, when consumed, will leavepractically no residue; which will be stable and possess ood keepinqualities; which will burn wit a flame o intense heat and for a longertime than prior solid alcohol fuels; which will not form a crust whenthe flame is extinguished; which may readily be reignited; which isnon-explosive; and which is, therefore, safe to manufacture,

transport and operate. l A- further object of the invention is toprovide a process of producing a solidified acetate is produced.

fuel composed mainly ofalcohol, and having the above mentionedcharacteristics,

which may be expeditiously carried out,

and wherein losses. by evaporation, and

otherwise, may be greatly reduced.

These and further objects will more fully appear in the followingspecification and By means of the invention an .infusible,

solid fuel composed mainly of alcohol, and having a base of nitrocellulose and cellulose Broadly stated the invention comprisesdissolving cellulose having a nitrogen content which renders it solublein acetone, and. so

designated'herein as pyroxyline, in' a'mixture of alcohol 'and asolvent, adding a.

hygroscopic salt solution, and solidifying:

the mixture by. the introduction of a coagu latingliquid. In carryingout whatj is now considered is added a dry nitro cellulose coagulant.

1919. Serial No. 302,56.

if grain alcohol denatured with wood spirits is used wood alcohol isadded to form the mixture desired. To the alcohol mixture (pyroxyline)1n the proportions of about 17% by weight pyroxyline to about 83% by weiht of the alcohol. The pyroxyline is insolu le in this mixture.

To the pyroxyline alcohol mixture is added a small proportion,approximately 1% to 115%, of a pyroxyline solvent such as commercialacetone, and the mixture goes into solution forming a heavy, viscousmixture. If desired the .pyroxyline may be dissolved in the acetonebefore mixin with the alcohol, but the former method 1s preferred as thelowboiling point of the ketone and its pronounced hygroscopioity makesuch, a solution diiiicult.

present in an aqueous solution in the mixture. This hot .solution willhave a solvent action on the alcohol pyroxyline-acetone mass, and whenthe mixture contains about 75% of the solvent, a thin, limpid liquidwill be formed. This liquid is placed 1n a receptacle, which may be thecontainer in which the fuel is to be vended and burned. I

The limpid liquor in the receptacle is now gelatinized by the admixtureof a liquid Such a coagulant may be formed by treating a suitablyprepared cellulose acetate with diluted alcohol and heatin untilsolution is effected. Such a suitably prepared cellulose acetate may bepre-v pared by mixing cotton 'acetic acid, acetic anhydride and a smallproportion of sulphuric acid, and allowing the mixture .to stand untilit is transformed into a thick viscous syrup. Such an'ester hasbeengiven the trade nameof Sericose This mass on'cooling sets to a firmjell,.and must be used before it cools suiiiciently to jell. The

forms about 20% of the new mixture, and

the total mass in the receptacle sets, on cooling, to a firm coagulum.

The coagulant diffuses into the nitrocellulose solution whichis a truecolloid and partially preciptates its colloidal solution into anemulslon colloid solution, and the ammonium nitrate inthe mixture hasthe effect of causing the nitrocellulose, in its emulsion or partiallyprecipitated form, to swell, as it were, whereby its capacity for-absorbing the alcohol will be increased. As the coagulant diii'usesinto the mass as a whole the percentage of the solvent of the sericoserelatively to the cericose is reduced and the latter gelatinizes oncooling in the alcohol and the entire mass sets, to a solid 'coagulurn.

Instead of. forming the product-in the receptacle in which it is to bevended and burned, the final mixture may be made in bulk and aftercooling cut or otherwise formed into cubes, or other shapes, and packedin any desired manner.

The gelatinous sericose tempers the burning rate, reduces theinflammability of the nitrocellulose, and produces a slower burningmixture.

1 The fuel application 1s adry, solid mass which will retain the liquidcombustible under haning;'w1ll become cool immediatelyv the flame isextinguished, and may. be readily re dling; from which the liquid willnot exude; which, when ignited will burn. slowly without liquefactionand will leave practically no resldue.

The product easily ignited either in a container or in the willremainperfectly dry while burnignited. t

It is to be understood that while the mixture of ethyl and methylalcohol given is 1 preferred, pure alcohol, or'ordinary dena turedalcohol may be employed, in which case the proportion of pyroxylinesolvent will be changed. i

Instead of using acetone, any other known solvent of pyroxyline maybeemployed.

' Instead of using a hygroscopic salt, such as ammonium nitrate, toabsorb the water of the alcohol, alcohol of higher proof,than

' the ordinary commercial articlemay be used,

and the process may be carried out in the manner and proportlons abovedescribed for solution except that the salt is omitted. The high proofalcohol will making the limpid the nitrocellulose from higher proof thanthe commercial article,

produced by the process of this is nonexplosive; may be lution, addingisolutionyand adding aliquefi'd coagulant to,

the pyroxyline,

have the same eiiect on the emulsified nitrocellulose as will theammonium nitrate. A thin, limpid solution is formed, and the mixture ismade cold. The heated coagulant will be added as before and on coolingwill solidfy the mass. If desired instead of utilizing high proofalcohol, the ordinary commercial article may be dehydrated as by the useof lime or other dehydrant and then used. In suoh a product the nitrocellulose will not absorb'the alcohol as readily as before. Whenammonium nitrate is dissolved 1n commercial alcohol, or when alcohol ofis employed as the solvent of the alcohol pyroxyline acetone mass, moreof the alcohol will be taken up by themass than if alcohol alone wereused. Applicant does 1 llOi'rkIlOW why this 1s so, and the explanationgiven is to the best of his knowledge and belief. V

Having now described my invention what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Pat cut, is: I'

1. A solid'infusible fuel, comprising a solution of approximately5..parts' alcohol, 1 p'art pyroxyline, 1 part acetone, '7 5 arser a 5%solution of-ammonium nitrateandfdissolved in alcohol, and a smallpi'oportion of sericose,

2. A solid infusible fuel,- corr'iprising' a solution of approximately 4parts grain alco hol, 1 part wood alcohbl, 1 part' p'yroxyline, l'partacetone, 75 parts of a 5% solution of ammonium nitrate and dissolvedinalcohol,

process of making an',infu sible 1'10 solid-alcohol fuel, which'comprises'adding pyroxyline to a mixture of grain and wood alcohols,adding a solvent of pyroxyline to the mixture to produce a', heavyviscous s0 a diluting liquid to the said the mas s.

I 3 6. The p'rocessfof makingv an infu'sible solid alcohol fuel, whichcomprises mixing pyroxyline with alcohol, adding acetone in a sufficientquantity to produce a heavyj'v-iscous solution, adding an alcoholicsolution of a hydroscopi'c salt to the viscous solution, and addingsericose to coagulate the mass.

v7. The process of making an infusible solid alcohol fuel,whichcomprises mixing dry pyroxyline with alcohol, addin com merclalacetone to the mixture to issolve adding commercial ammo nium nitratedissolved in commercial alcothe mass.

The process I of making an infusible solid alcohol fuel, which comprisesmixing' dry pyroxyline with alcohol, adding COII] merclal acetone to themixture to dissolve the pyroxyline alcohol mixtu'renadd heated solutionof ammonium nitrat alcohol to the first mentioned solution, andaddingla-heated' solution of sericose and tllqif lute alcohol to" thesolution whereb mass will solidify on cooling.

. a e and 9. The process .of making a solid, infusible alcohol fuel,which comprises. dissolving a mixture of pyroxy'line'and alcohol in antion, whereby the cooling of the sericose so.-

lution will coagulate the entire mass.

This specification signed and witnessed this sixth day of June, 1919. I

' j HERBERT KRANICH. Witnesses :-t

. CHARLES C. COLJNA,

A. E. Rmvwon.

inflammable solvent, and adding a heated v solution of sericose to thepyrokyline solo--

